Admin
15th December 2004, 00:30
CLARK FIELD, Pampanga — A huge US operation, based in this former US airbase, has been bringing relief to millions of people affected by four storms that have left 1,800 people dead or missing.
Two US navy vessels and several US Marine transport helicopters have brought food and water to the worst-hit towns of Infanta, Real and General Nakar in Quezon despite the presence of communist guerrillas.
In a briefing with US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone, officials of the US task force said their team has so far delivered more than 100,000 tons of relief supplies and would distribute some 200,000 more by tomorrow.
Ricciardone said the US Department of Defense appropriated $7 million for relief aid, while the US Red Cross contributed $500,000.
Brig. Gen. Kenneth Glueck, commanding general of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, said 650 US military personnel have been deployed here and at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City for the relief operations.
Some 300 more are on board a US ship off the coast of Subic, Zambales. Ten US helicopters and a C-130 cargo plane were being used in the relief operations.
When Ricciardone asked whether the New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas were a problem for the US forces, he was told that the rebels had stayed out of the disaster sites and that US Marines were working with Filipino soldiers to avoid dangerous areas.
The guerrillas have said their members will refrain from attacking foreign soldiers engaged in relief work.
The rebels earned the public’s ire on Nov. 30 when they ambushed what the military described was a humanitarian mission to help victims of the storms. The attack left 10 soldiers dead.
More than 600 troops from US bases in the region arrived in the country over the past week to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Their heavy-lift helicopters have been ferrying supplies to towns which were initially left isolated last Nov. 29 by tropical depression "Winnie" which spawned deadly landslides.
Leftist groups have previously held protests over any sign of a US military presence in the country but there has been no objection so far in the face of the massive destruction caused by the storms.
The civil defense office said at least 939 people were killed and 837 left missing by the four storms which hit in a row, starting with typhoon "Unding" on Nov. 18.
About 3.018 million people were affected by the four storms which caused about P4.588 billion in damage, it said.
Two US navy vessels and several US Marine transport helicopters have brought food and water to the worst-hit towns of Infanta, Real and General Nakar in Quezon despite the presence of communist guerrillas.
In a briefing with US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone, officials of the US task force said their team has so far delivered more than 100,000 tons of relief supplies and would distribute some 200,000 more by tomorrow.
Ricciardone said the US Department of Defense appropriated $7 million for relief aid, while the US Red Cross contributed $500,000.
Brig. Gen. Kenneth Glueck, commanding general of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, said 650 US military personnel have been deployed here and at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City for the relief operations.
Some 300 more are on board a US ship off the coast of Subic, Zambales. Ten US helicopters and a C-130 cargo plane were being used in the relief operations.
When Ricciardone asked whether the New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas were a problem for the US forces, he was told that the rebels had stayed out of the disaster sites and that US Marines were working with Filipino soldiers to avoid dangerous areas.
The guerrillas have said their members will refrain from attacking foreign soldiers engaged in relief work.
The rebels earned the public’s ire on Nov. 30 when they ambushed what the military described was a humanitarian mission to help victims of the storms. The attack left 10 soldiers dead.
More than 600 troops from US bases in the region arrived in the country over the past week to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Their heavy-lift helicopters have been ferrying supplies to towns which were initially left isolated last Nov. 29 by tropical depression "Winnie" which spawned deadly landslides.
Leftist groups have previously held protests over any sign of a US military presence in the country but there has been no objection so far in the face of the massive destruction caused by the storms.
The civil defense office said at least 939 people were killed and 837 left missing by the four storms which hit in a row, starting with typhoon "Unding" on Nov. 18.
About 3.018 million people were affected by the four storms which caused about P4.588 billion in damage, it said.